Review: Scorch

Scorch (Croak #2) by Gina Damico
Release Date ~September 25, 2012
Graphia ~ HMH 
ISBN13: 9780547624570
Review copy received from Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is a teenage grim reaper with the bizarre ability to damn souls. That makes her pretty scary, even to fellow Grims. But after inadvertently transferring her ability to Zara, a murderous outlaw, Lex is a pariah in Croak, the little town she calls home.
To escape the townspeople’s wrath, she and her friends embark on a wild road trip to DeMyse. Though this sparkling desert oasis is full of luxuries and amusements, it feels like a prison to Lex. Her best chance at escape would be to stop Zara once and for all—but how can she do that from DeMyse, where the Grims seem mysteriously oblivious to Zara’s killing spree?

Croak was one of those books that I stumbled upon rather accidentally last year, decided to give it a go and absolutely fell in love. I really feel that this is one of the most underrated series out there, and that more people should read it because so many other people will love it. So if it’s been sitting on your bookshelf, pick it up tonight, and sit down with a cup of tea and thank me when you’re finished ;) 

Combining dry humour with likable characters and a thoroughly creative storyline is a winning combination. But Scorch has that same feel that Goblet of Fire has for Harry Potter fans – it’s when we finally realize that it isn’t all just fun and games, and that the stakes are very high. Too high. 

1. Lex is a witty and lovable as ever:
   
   Lex is one of those characters I want to be BFFs with. She’s funny as can be, a little rough around the edges but with the BIGGEST HEART. She’s always getting into some sort of trouble or another, but does her absolute best to keep those she loves safe. And she isn’t constantly whining or being ridiculous. She’s brave, and I love her sense of justice because we totally have that in common. Guys, I can't even begin to describe how funny Gina's writing is when she's writing as Lex. I'm just not funny enough to make you understand.
   
2. And we get to see more of the super cool Reaper world!:
   
   I love the way Gina Damico has imagined Reapers in the Croak series! It’s so much fun and totally different, and I enjoyed getting a look at some of the other Reaper towns in the world aside from Croak. I think it’s really neat that they each have their own sort of “personalities” too.
   
3. Some things are gained. Others are lost:
   
   Gina doesn’t back down from making things not quite as bad as they seem... yet still hard. If I’m being honest, I don’t always want to read a book that’s going to break me and shatter my heart into a thousand little shards. I like that silver lining on a cloud, and I think Gina nails that really well in these books. Yes, things sometimes turn out terribly wrong. But there’s this little seed of optimism that means it isn’t what you expected or wanted – but it isn’t entirely lost either. And that’s okay. I think that’s a lot like real life. 

These books are so much fun, but not at all forgettable. They almost feel like light, fun books but they really aren’t. They delve into some deeper issues and don’t shy away from tackling problems. 

And it’s hard for me to put my finger on it, but Scorch didn’t quite have the same charm that Croak had for me. It’s like a certain je ne sais quoi, but I think part of it was sequels are always suffering a little bit from trying to live up to the first. It’s all a little bit less magical and amazing. Or maybe some of my bitterness about the bad things that happen is seeping in here. That could be it too. I mean, bad stuff is good because it’s real and makes for good character growth but it doesn’t mean I need to like it. NOPE. 

Also, as a sidenote I really love Lex and Driggs. I think they're one of the best YA couples out there. They have super cute kissing scenes and I just adore them and their sneaky ways trying to get around Uncle Mort's rules.

Review: Croak

Croak (Croak #1) by Gina Damico

Release Date ~ March 20, 2012
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN13: 9780547822563
Signed ARC received from author in charity auction

Goodreads Synopsis:Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?
Croak is a fantastically fun and hilarious new book, and one that I am so happy is breaking through into the YA scene, because I haven't read anything quite like it before!

There's nothing typical about this read; you'll be pleasantly surprised (as I was) when you pick it up and instantly be drawn to it's many characters, especialy Lex, Driggs (swoon!) and Lex's uncle.

1. Fun, quirky take on paranormal:
   
   Croak isn't your typical YA paranormal read; it isn't filled with brooding, mysterious boys AND there's a parental figure (which I love). I love that Croak doesn't limit itself to stereotypes, but instead branches out and proves that a fantastic book doesn't have to stay in line with all the trends. The take on grim reapers was refreshingly creative, and I loved reading about this new world!
2. Sarcastic sense of humour:
   I loved Lex as a narrator and MC because she had such a fantastic sense of humour! I kept chuckling to myself while reading, and loved the banter between Lex and Drigs and even her Uncle Mort. Croak features a cast of great characters, and I liked how Gina really brought a sense of humour into the mix. I loved Drigs, and Mort, they were wonderful characters that really balanced out Lex.
3. Some deeper issues mixed in:
   But I also appreciated that Gina didn't shy away from incorporating some more serious aspects to the story. It isn't all fun and games, and there are some real problems to be addressed and dealt with. And she doesn't make light of death either, but instead brings it into a whole new perspective.

Croak is one of those books that every fan of YA should read: it's unique and a whole lot of fun, one that I think is really going to have widespread appeal regardless of age or gender. There's easily something for everyone in this read with it's mix of paranormal, romance, wit, adventure, and mystery! :)

I will say that I think the book could have taken some of its deeper themes a bit further and really fleshed them out; but I think we're going to see a bit more of that in the sequel (fingers crossed!) so I'll reserve judgment on that front until then.